Fiber optic cables are widely used for data transmission. In most cases, the cables are either suspended from support structures such as utility structures or are placed in manholes or handholes. Often these fiber optic cables need to be spliced during initial installation to connect different cable runs, and once in operation, for adding additional cable runs, rerouting, maintenance or repair. It is important that this splicing does not interrupt the total data transmission of the cables involved. Because each of these fiber optic cables typically carry many different transmission systems via individual optical fibers, a complete disruption of the cable continuity is not acceptable when access to, for instance, a single optical fiber is desired. Thus, access must be provided to the individual transmission systems or fibers to implement a new splice at a portion of a fiber optic cable without totally disrupting the continuity of all the associated bundled fibers.
Various fiber optic splice enclosures are known which house portions of cables and spliced optical fibers thereof. However, developments in optical fiber and ribbon technology have advanced, and such known enclosures may not be suitable for such developments. For example, in some cases, fiber optic cables may include optical fibers or optical fiber ribbons which do not include protective buffer tubes. Known fiber optic splice enclosures may thus require that transition tubes be provided on the optical fibers to protect them before routing the optical fibers within the fiber optic splice enclosures. This can result in significant delays when attempting to route cables and optical fibers thereof within a known fiber optic splice enclosures. Further, the access point for optical fibers to enter spice trays within known fiber optic splice enclosures may be relatively congested, leading to further difficulties in routing.
Accordingly, improved fiber optic splice enclosures which address the above-identified issues and which may be utilized with improved optical fiber and ribbon technologies are desired.